Panthers leave Lee’s Summit with win over Guardians

A large contingency of Mountain Grove Panthers’ football fans made the three-and-a-half hour drive to Lee’s Summit on Friday night for the week two battle with St. Michael the Archangel.
Though the Guardians were effective with the passing game, the Panthers rushing attack had two 100-yard carriers in a 42-28 victory.
St. Michael the Archangel opened the game with an eight play, 69-yard drive highlighted by a pair of passing plays going for at least 30 yards. They scored on a two-yard touchdown run before the extra-point kick pushed the lead to 7-0.
The Panthers responded just three minutes later as they completed a 76-yard drive when quarterback Aden Estep connected with Kale Gardner for a 40-yard touchdown pass. Dameon Martin’s extra-point kick tied the game at 7-7.
After the Panthers’ defense forced a punt on the Guardians’ next possession, the Panthers’ offense put together another scoring drive.
Eli Golden had a 13-yard run followed five plays later by Estep’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Murphy. Martin’s kick pushed the lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter.
Mountain Grove’s defense followed by forcing a three-and-out.
A good punt set up the Panthers’ next drive on their own 15.
Estep had a 10-yard carry and Golden added a 23-yard run during a nine-play drive that ended with Braydon Curtiss’ 16-yard touchdown run. Martin’s kick pushed the lead to 21-7.
The Guardians responded though just 16 seconds later when they scored on a 50-yard passing play.
Up 21-14, the Panthers’ offense started their next drive on the 20 after a touchback.
Estep had a nine yard carry and a 37-yard carry on a drive that ended with Golden’s seven yard touchdown run.
Just before the half, Mountain Grove’s defense sacked the Guardians’ quarterback on two straight plays, leading to minus 19 yards of offense. Mountain Grove led 28-14 at halftime.
St. Michael the Archangel’s defense forced a quick Mountain Grove punt to open the third quarter. Their offense took advantage as a 56-yard passing play was followed two plays later by an 18-yard passing touchdown.
Kale Gardner took the kickoff from about the 1 to right at midfield. This was soon followed by Curtiss’ 23-yard run and a Golden six-yard touchdown run. Martin’s kick pushed the lead to 35-21.
Mountain Grove’s defense had a sack for an eight yard loss on the next possession and another for a 13 yard loss that was very close to being a safety.
Starting a drive with the ball on their own 43, Golden had a 23-yard run. Murphy capped it off with an 18-yard TD run as Mountain Grove went up 42-21.
The Guardians took their next drive down to the Panthers’ 4 before it ended with Golden’s interception.
Unfortunately, that drive stalled when Estep fumbled the ball away with 7:24 left in the game.
Three plays later, the Guardians scored on a 17-yard passing play.
After an onside kick attempt, the Panthers’ offense had good field position and were driving when Golden was about to score on a 32-yard run. Then at the goal line, a Guardians’ defender stripped him of the ball for a touchback.
Golden would reverse the fortune one minute later when a teammate stripped the ball from a receiver and he recovered on the 3.
The Panthers would hold on for the 42-28 victory.
As a team, the Panthers had 64 yards passing and 357 on the ground for 421 total yards.
Estep had a big game, going 2-for-2 in the air for 64 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 15 carries for 76 yards.
Golden added 12 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Curtiss added 23 carries for 148 yards and one touchdown. Murphy added one catch for 24 yards and one touchdown with two carries for 19 yards and one touchdown. The Guardians finished the game with 335 yards passing and just 22 on the ground for 357 total yards of offense.
Up next for the Panthers is their home opener against rival Ava at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sep. 12.